Coupling for rotary elements



April 23, 1929. D. DUNwooDlE couPLING 11011 ROTARY ELEMENTS Filed Mgrch21, 1925 Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES DAVID DUNWOODIE, F DAYTON, OHIO.

CGUPLING FOR ROTARY ELEMENTS.

Application 'filed March 21, 1923.

This :invention relates to a coupling :for connecting together a rotarydriving element and a rotary driven element.

The object ot 'the invention is to produce a coupling ot the classreferred to which has a considerable amount et liexibility to allow iormisalignment et the driving and driven members, While at the same timeproviding for a positive driving` engagementbetween said members. YVhilethe invention is particularly designed for use in driving a inagnetoshaft, it will be evident, as the description j'noceeds, that thecoupling is woll adapted for other j )urposes and is particle lai-lyuse'iiul in anyk case Where a thriving shaft and a driven shi-itt arenot exactly in axial or longitudinal alignment With each other.

Vfith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction7 conibination and arrangement herein hilly described,.illustrated and claimed In the accompanying drawings2 Figure 1 is adiametrical section through the improved coupling.

Figure 2 is a view thereoie partly in side elevation and partly intrai'isverse section. Figure 3 is a plan view et the coupling.

Figure l is a view similar to Figure 8, showing the use et metal bandsin place oit the washers shown in Figure f 'teterring to the drawings, 5represents the driving member and G the driven member ot the mechanism.In the rillustrate(l embodiment el the invention, the member is shown ashaving a hub bored as shown at 7 to receive a driving shaft which may bekeyed therein. The member G .is shown as having a tapered bore 8 toreceive theond ol the driven shaft which may be keyed .in the .member 6.

` In the illustrated embodimentl el the invention, the driving member isshown as formed With'a circumiierential flange 9 having teeth 1() aroundit, which mesh with. other teeth 11` on a gear ring 12. In like manner'the driven member (5 is provided with a circumterential VHarige 13having teeth 141, which mesh with teeth` 15 on a gear ring 1G.

Surroumling the rings l2 and 1G is a hollow cylindrical transmissionmember 17 lormed ot flexible material such as thermoid or a laminatedfabric usually composed oit superimposed sections of canvass er otherfabric and rubber vulcanized into one uni- Serial No. 626,566.

oit great durability. The band or transmission .member 7 is shown inFigures 1, 2 and' 3 as secured to the rings 12 and 16 by rivets 18 whichare preferably staggered as shown in Figure 3, metal Washers 19 beingplaced under the heads oit the rivets 1S; In place of the uf'ashers 1S)however, annular metal bands 2O may be used as shown in Fig. 4. It willalso be observed that the teetli 10, 11, 14 and l5 are of sui'iicientlength to admit oi relative sliding and :uljustable movements betvveel'ithe driving member 5, the transmission member 17 and the driven elementG. This adds very much to the ile'xibility ot the coupling and it alsoadmits ot' sui'licieiit sliding movement of the driving clement 5 or thedriven element G to allow the shaft or shafts connected,therewith to beremoved and replaced.

Due to the comparative lengths ot the teeth 1() and 1l and 13 and 14respectively, angular adjustment is possible betwe1-\.n the drivingmember and the driven member without changing' the lateral position oieither. rThis is accomplished by alternately moving the transmissionmember 17 fore and aft disengaging the teeth at one end thereoiz fromthe teeth of one member While the other end isheid in engagement; thesame action holding true tor both lore and att movement. In this mannera micrometric anglilar adjustment is obtained between the dri v ing anddriven member.

This is a particularly valuable feature l'or example, as it isordiimrily necessary to 'denu'iunt a magneto 'trom its usual positiml onthe 'frame oit an engine or engine mount to time the samel with thetiring ol the engine.

The teeth oit the gears may be made longer or shorter according torequirements in each particularr case. The coupling is ot small size andis oli balanced construction. There are practically no projections otherthan the heads ot the rivets 19 kand where the bands Q0 are employed theheads of said rivets may. it desired, bey countersunk in ysuch bands.The coupling is also light and etlicient and the parts are subjected tominimum Wear. n n

LIt `will. also be'observed that the opposite side Ylaces el thecoupling` are beveled or reversely inclined.. This materially reduceshead resistance where the coupling` is used on aircraft and also givesgreater visibility Vingl member,

for adjustment, A flexible centering member 2l extends in an approxinately diametrical diret-ion ross the interior of the coupling', beingterniinally 4attached by soel-:eted means 22 to the transmission membei' i7 in sach manner that the member 2lV can be flexed 'fore and aftsufficiently to adjust. the members 5 and (i angular-ly as here-v toforedescribed. The member 2l lies betiveen the adjacent faces of thedriving,l and driven elements and 6 or their shafts as shown in Fig. land thus acts normally as a limiting means., to restrict to thenecessary degree the rel tive fdiding` movement of the elements (i andi7 in a direction parallel 'to the axis oi rotation of suoli elements.The gears may have any desirednumber of teeth and i not necessary thatthe same number teeth be employed 1n each gear. Ey

ing a sliding' connection with one of said lements in a directionparallel to the axis of rotation.

A flexible coupling for rotary driving and driven elements eoniprisingarotary driving member, a rotary driven member,

and a rotary1 Vmotion transmission member of hollow Cylindricalformation composed of flexible material, said transmission memberhay/'ing` a positive engage-ment With both the driving` and drivenelements and also hava sliding (,wonneetion with both of said L 'anddriven elements "in a` di reetion to the axis of rotation for thepuriose of :uljustingl said transmission relatiye to either of saidelements.

o. A flexible eoupling` `lor rotary drivingl and driven elementscomprising a rotary drivingr member, a` rotary driven member, and a.Vrotary metion-transmission member of hollow cylindrical formation compsed of flexible material hearing` a. positive engagement with both thedriving'and driven ele- 1 ments and also slidable in relation to one ofsaid elements in a direction fore and att and parallel lto the axis ofrotation,'and moans for lin'iitine' sach sliding movement substantiallyas desoribed.k Y

fl. A flexible Coupling for rotary driving and driven elementscomprising` a. rotary driva rotary driven member, and a rotarymotion-transniiission member of hollonv cylindrical formation composedof flex'- ible material having a positive engagement ivi-th both thedrivingl and driven elements and also slidable in relation to one ofsaid elementsfin a di eetion parallel to the axis of rotation andflexible means yieldably mounted intermediate said driving and drivenelements for' limiting` such slidingI movement.

5. A flexible coupling` for rotary driving and driven elements.comprising' a rotary driving member, a rotary driven member and a rotarymotion-transmission member of hollow cylindrical formation composed offlexible material having a posit-ive engagement vvith both the driving;-and driven elements and also slidable in relation to onel of saidelements in a direction pa allel to the axis of rotation and flexiblemeans yieldablv` mmmted Within said hollow transmission member andadapted to eoaet with the drivin and driven elements for limitingsueh sng movement.

6,. A flexible coupling` for rotary driving and driven elementscomprising a rotary driving,` element, a rotary driven element, annularseries of projections on said driving and driven elements, and4 a rotarymotiontra-nsmissionV member of hollow formation composed of flexiblematerial havingl means lixedly secured thereto comprising annular seriesot projections Vto positively engage the projections on said driving anddriven elements and also slidable in Vrelation to one of said elementsin a direction parallel to the axis of rotation without aiifeetiag snehpositive engagement.

7. A flexible coupling for rotary drivingl and driven elementscomprising a rotary driving member, a rotary driven member, and a rotarymotien-transmission member of hollow cylindrical formation composed offiexible material, said transmission member having means fixedly securedthereto comprising a positive engagement with both the drivingl anddriven elements Vand also having a sliding` connection with one of saidelements in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, saidtransmission member having positie faces thereof revers-ely inclined.

8. A flexible coupling' for rotary driving,r and driven elements eachhavinga series ot peripheral teeth, a pair of ring gears one in meshWith the teeth of the driving` element, the other in mesh Withthe teethof the driven element, and flexible means fixedly secured to each ofsaid ring gears retaining said gears in mesh With the driving and drivenele; rents. Y Y

9. A' flexible Coupling for rotary driving and driven elementscomprising` a rotary driving; member, aV rotary driven member, annularseries of projeetionson said drivingand driven elements, and a rotarymotiontransmission member of hollovv formation composed of flexiblematerial having means fixedly secured thereto'comprising annular seriesof projections to positively engage the projections on said driving anddriven ele- Y ments and also slidable in relation to one and a rotarymotion-transmission member of hollow cylindrical formation composed offlexible material, said transmission member having means fixedly securedthereto comprising a positive slidable engagement with both the drivingand driven elements in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation,said transmission member having opposite faces thereof reverselyinclined, and means mounted interiorly of said driving and drivenmembers for limiting said sliding moven'ient.

' 11. The combination with a driving and driven element, of a flexiblering bodily movable along its longitudinal axis to effect thedisplacement of said ring relative to either of said elements wherebyythe angular relation of said elements is capable of being changed andmeans yieldably mounted intermediate said driving and driven elementsfor limiting the rlongitudinal movement of said flexible ring.

l2. The combination with a driving and driven element, of a manuallybodily movable device encircling said driving and driven members, saiddevice having means fixed thereto permitting a positive slidableengagement with both the driving and driven driven member, each havingan annulary series of peripheral teeth, of a hollow flexible ringencircling said member, a pair of ring gears mounted' within said hollowring, one in mesh with the teeth of the driving member, the other inmesh with the teeth of the driven member, said gears and hollow ringbeing adapted to be movable bodily along the longitudinal axis thereofto effect the displacement of either of said ring gears relative toeither of said members to permit of the relative angular adjustmentfofeither the driving or driven member.

141-. rlhe combination with a driving and driven element each having anannular series of teeth, of a longitudinally bodily movable hollow ringlmember intermediate and encircling said driving and driven elements, apair of ring gears mounted within said hollow ring member for engagingthe teeth on said driving and driven elements, the number' of teeth onone ring gear being greater than the number of teeth on the other gearand flexible means yieldably mounted interiorly of said ring forlimiting the longitudinal movement thereof. y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

DAVID DUNWOODIE.

